Friday, May 25, 2012

Celeb reportedly buys NFL legend's ring - NBA All-First Team

Celeb reportedly buys NFL legend's ring Lawrence Taylor's Super Bowl ring will hardly know it switched owners. According to Jay Glazer, the Hall of Fame linebacker was told that a fellow aficionado of all things illicit, Charlie Sheen, was the buyer of his Super Bowl XXV ring that recently sold for more than $230,000 at auction. It's not known whether Taylor's information is accurate but, man, we hope it is. Taylor's agent, Mark Lepster, confirmed to Glazer that LT was told Sheen bought the ring. They are still trying to confirm this poetic purchase. It's like Phil Spector buying O.J.'s Heisman. The actor has an extensive sports memorabilia collection that includes Babe Ruth's 1927 World Series ring and the contract that sold the baseball great from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees. He also owned the infamous Bill Buckner ball. Taylor's son, TJ, put the ring up for auction unbeknownst to his father. The troubled former star said he had no problem with the decision.
The NBA announced its All-NBA First Team on Thursday, highlighted by the Heat’s LeBron James and the Thunder’s Kevin Durant. Chris Paul of the Clippers, the Lakers Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard of the Magic rounded out the team. Derrick Rose, last seasons MVP, and Deron Williams, were two notable omissions from the three teams selected by the NBA. Despite having one of the best records all season, none of the Chicago Bulls were selected to any of the teams. Bryant joins the All-NBA first team for the seventh consecutive season and 10th time overall. James joins the team for the fifth consecutive season, sixth overall. The All-NBA Second Team is comprised of the Wolves Kevin Love, Blake Griffin of the Clippers, Andrew Bynum of the Lakers, Tony Parker of the Spurs and Russell Westbrook of the Thunder. Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler of the Knicks were named to the All-NBA Third Team, along with the Celtics Rajon Rondo, the Mavs Dirk Nowitzki and the Heat’s Dwayne Wade.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

MLB Power Rankings - RIP Coach Stewart

RIP Coach Stewart West Virginia announced on Monday that former coach Bill Stewart died of an apparent heart attack. Stewart was 59 years old. According to the West Virginia Metro News, Stewart was golfing with former West Virginia athletic director Eddie Pastilong on Monday when he collapsed. He was taken to Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital. Stewart's Record at West Virginia Year Rec. Bowl 2010 9-4 Lost Champs Sports 2009 9-4 Lost Gator 2008 9-4 Won Meinke Car Care 2007 1-0 Won Fiesta “Mountaineer nation is truly saddened today to learn of the untimely passing of Coach Bill Stewart," said West Virginia president Jim Clements in a statement. "Our hearts go out to the Stewart family and Bill's many friends. He was a compassionate, energetic, and kind person. He loved his family dearly and was extremely community-oriented and very giving of his time. He will be greatly missed.” “I'm very saddened. I hired Bill in my last year when I was close to retiring," said former West Virginia coach Don Nehlen. "Bill was such a great Mountaineer and a great addition to our staff. It was a terrific hire -- he did a great job not only for me, but for Rich and as a head coach. Bill was such a great husband and a great father. Bill Stewart was a great Mountaineer. My heart goes out to [his wife] Karen and [son] Blaine.” Stewart resigned as coach last June after the school had hired Dana Holgorsen to be offensive coordinator and coach-in-waiting. He took the job over from Rich Rodriguez after Rodriguez left the school to take over at Michigan in 2007. He led the Mountaineers to a 48-28 win over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl as the interim head coach. His position was made permanent afterward. As a coach at West Virginia, Stewart compiled a record of 28-12, and was 36-37 in his coaching career having spent three seasons at VMI as well.
MLB Power Rankings May 21, 2012 si.com 1 Last Week: 2 Texas Rangers WAR Winning Percentage: .728; Current Winning Percentage: .619; WAR Wins: 31; Current Wins: 26 The Rangers' offense boasts the second most home runs in baseball, a stat that's somewhat stunning given their second-best position player has just one homer all season. But Elvis Andrus has been tremendous. He has a .400 on base percentage with eight steals in nine chances, and no shortstop in baseball has a higher WAR. He -- by a significant margin -- has been the best all-around shortstop in the American League to this point. 2 Last Week: 6 Washington Nationals WAR Winning Percentage: .667; Current Winning Percentage: .585; WAR Wins: 27; Current Wins: 24 New acquisitions Gio Gonzalez and Edwin Jackson have been integral parts of the Nationals' rotation, which has been the best in the league in nearly every pitching category. Gonzalez has the highest strikeout rate of any qualified starter in the majors (11.10), and Jackson's 4.60 K/BB rate ranks 10th in the league. The latter is a reflection of Jackson's ongoing progression. He has managed to cut his walk rate to half of his career average. 3 Last Week: 1 St. Louis Cardinals WAR Winning Percentage: .657; Current Winning Percentage: .537; WAR Wins: 27; Current Wins: 22 The injuries are really starting to pile up in St. Louis, as Allen Craig, Lance Berkman, and John Jay were all placed on the disabled list this week. Along with those three, Carlos Beltran missed a few games with an ailing knee. The Cardinals have a good amount of depth in the corner spots, but with David Freese struggling of late (.170/.231/.340 in the past 14 games), the offense has not been as nearly as effective as it was earlier in the year. 4 Last Week: 3 Los Angeles Dodgers WAR Winning Percentage: .642; Current Winning Percentage: .683; WAR Wins: 26; Current Wins: 28 The Dodgers just completed a sweep of the Cardinals without Matt Kemp, so why are they still ranked behind St. Louis? It's simple: though they've played well, their record is inflated by a 12-6 mark in one-run games, while the Cardinals are just 1-7 in such contests. Winning games by one run is nice, but such victories are often one bounce or call away from going the other direction; they don't have much predictive value. While the Dodgers are a quality team and a legitimate contender in the NL West, their luck is likely to run out. They aren't likely to keep winning 67 percent of one-run games. 5 Last Week: 8 Philadelphia Phillies WAR Winning Percentage: .554; Current Winning Percentage: .500; WAR Wins: 23; Current Wins: 21 Carlos Ruiz has been one of the best catchers in the game so far, with seven home runs and a .407 on-base percentage. Ruiz and Hunter Pence (10 home runs) have carried a struggling Philadelphia lineup that has gotten extremely little production from its infield. Vance Worley's elbow injury puts Kyle Kendrick back into the rotation, which is bad news for the Phillies. Kendrick's 5.03 FIP and -0.1 WAR are considerable drop-offs from Worley's 3.07 ERA and 0.4 WAR. 6 Last Week: 9 Baltimore Orioles WAR Winning Percentage: .552; Current Winning Percentage: .643; WAR Wins: 23; Current Wins: 27 Only two players have been better than Baltimore's Adam Jones this season: David Wright and Josh Hamilton. Jones is on pace to smash his career highs in home runs and stolen bases, and his 2.8 WAR is only slightly behind last year's 2.9 mark. The fact that he has been as productive as in any other previous season just 41 games into the year is astonishing, particularly considering that he hit 19 home runs every year since 2009 as a centerfielder. 7 Last Week: 13 San Francisco Giants WAR Winning Percentage: .552; Current Winning Percentage: .512; WAR Wins: 23; Current Wins: 21 New outfielders Melky Cabrera, Angel Pagan and Gregor Blanco have paced an otherwise very poor Giant offense. Each of the three has a wRC+ above 130, and though the group has not collectively hit for much power -- they've smacked just seven home runs between them -- they've gotten on base at a high rate and stolen 18 bags in 23 chances. While they're unlikely to sustain that pace, their base-stealing success has managed to keep the team afloat while Pablo Sandoval is on the DL. His eventual return will take much of the pressure off the overachieving outfielders. 8 Last Week: 5 Atlanta Braves WAR Winning Percentage: .551; Current Winning Percentage: .619; WAR Wins: 23; Current Wins: 26 Martin Prado's bounce back year has helped the Braves score more runs than any other NL team. Prado has a line of .323/.395/.490 after posting a .260/.302/.385 line last year, and he has the best walk-to-strikeout ratio of his career, averaging nearly one walk for every strikeout. Add in very good outfield defense and baserunning, and Prado has been very effective at every facet of the game -- and one of the keys to the Braves' strong start to the season. 9 Last Week: 11 Tampa Bay Rays WAR Winning Percentage: .550; Current Winning Percentage: .595; WAR Wins: 23; Current Wins: 25 Though his .214 batting average would make him appear ineffective, Tampa's Ben Zobrist has arguably been the team's top position player this year. With a 17.5 percent walk rate, he still maintains a .352 on-base percentage, and his 18 extra base hits give him an impressive .231 Isolated Slugging. Don't let the numbers deceive you: Zobrist is getting on base at a solid rate, is hitting for good power and is playing great defense at both second base and right field. 10 Last Week: 7 Boston Red Sox WAR Winning Percentage: .542; Current Winning Percentage: .488; WAR Wins: 22; Current Wins: 20 Mike Aviles has not gotten on base at a high rate to date (he has just a .303 OBP), but he has nine home runs and five stolen bases in addition to serving as one of the top defensive shortstops in the game. Aviles posted a 4.4 win season for the Royals in 2008. If he could replicate that type of production for the rest of the season, the Red Sox will have one of the game's most surprisingly productive shortstops for the second year in a row. 11 Last Week: 4 New York Yankees WAR Winning Percentage: .531; Current Winning Percentage: .523; WAR Wins: 21; Current Wins: 21 Mark Teixeira's struggles are beginning to become a concern. After posting the second lowest walk rate and wRC+ of his career in 2011, Teixeira has seen those numbers drop even further this year (6.9% walk rate and 78 wRC+). And that's not all. Teixeira's power seems to have evaporated, with an ISO of just .159 compared to his career mark of .248. The fact that the Yankees have been able to stay afloat without any contributions from their first baseman speak volumes to their depth, but it likely can't continue. New York will need him before the year is over. 12 Last Week: 24 Detroit Tigers WAR Winning Percentage: .521; Current Winning Percentage: .488; WAR Wins: 21; Current Wins: 20 You know your No. 3 and No. 4 hitters are great when they maintain a matching 130 wRC+, and are both considered to be underperforming. Last year, Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder posted 177 and 162 marks, respectively, and the Tigers will need both to get closer to their career averages to improve an offense that has displayed some significant shortcomings. Outfielder Andy Dirks has been a revelation, but as he cools down, the onus will be on Fielder and Cabrera to pick up the slack. 13 Last Week: 23 Cleveland Indians WAR Winning Percentage: .508; Current Winning Percentage: .561; WAR Wins: 21; Current Wins: 23 Asdrubal Cabrera's game really seems to have improved. His .404 on-base percentage seems sustainable given his AL-leading 1.50 BB/K ratio. He may not hit 25 home runs as he did last season, but his batting average and on-base percentage have increased and his strikeout rate has dipped below 8.0 percent, less than half the rate he posted a year ago. Cabrera's emergence has solidified a lineup in dire need of a boost. The Indians will have to hope that his breakout campaign continues. 14 Last Week: 15 Chicago White Sox WAR Winning Percentage: .519; Current Winning Percentage: .500; WAR Wins: 22; Current Wins: 21 The White Sox are the third straight AL Central team on this list, as the top of the division seems completely evenly matched. Adam Dunn's resurgence has a lot to do with Chicago's success, as he has belted 13 home runs and has seen his on-base percentage jump up to .390. Last year, he finished with a lackluster .292 rate. 15 Last Week: 14 Miami Marlins WAR Winning Percentage: .506; Current Winning Percentage: .537; WAR Wins: 21; Current Wins: 22 It's actually a bit surprising that the Marlins have played as well as they have. Gaby Sanchez and Logan Morrison have combined for -0.7 WAR. Sanchez was recently demoted to Triple-A, and although Morrison's on-base percentage of .346 is adequate, his power seems to have gone by the wayside: his ISO is just .102. Omar Infante and Austin Kearns have compensated so far, but as career role players, their production likely won't remain as solid as it has been.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Transfer Rule Good for Kids? - Few Surprises on Ohio State’s Post-Spring Depth Chart -

Transfer rule positive for kids, but a predicament for coaches By Jeff Goodman | CBSSports.com It's a question fielded with more frequency from college basketball coaches than any other over the past couple months. "Know of any fifth-year transfers?" both assistant and head coaches would ask with regularity. It's becoming the new wave of recruiting. Scour the mid-major ranks for anyone that has graduated on time who still boasts remaining eligibility. A year ago, a limited amount of cases popped up with Valparaiso star Brandon Wood being the most high-profile in the hoop ranks with his decision to transfer to Michigan State. Sam Maniscalso left Bradley for Illinois, Olu Ashaolu went from Louisiana Tech to Oregon and Alex Johnson headed to N.C. State from Cal State Bakersfield. There were others. All received an NCAA waiver to play immediately due to the rule that states that a student-athlete who completes his degree with a year of eligibility left can play elsewhere pending he is pursuing an advanced degree at the new institution. The most noticeable case overall came when N.C. State quarterback Russell Wilson left for Wisconsin and led the Badgers to the Big Ten title and the Rose Bowl last season. "It was. Obviously," Wood told CBSSports.com of his reason to transfer, which was based primarily on athletics. "But it also allowed me to be part of a program that has so many connections -- even outside of basketball." It's a rule that clearly has positive intent for the kids. Graduate and be rewarded. However, it's also a rule that has mid-major coaches contemplating whether to redshirt players and even graduate them on time. Wright State's Billy Donlon just lost his best player, Julius Mays, to the defending national champion Kentucky Wildcats. Mays spent his first two seasons at N.C. State, then transferred to Wright State -- where he sat out two years ago and then averaged 14 points last season. "It's a difficult rule, even as a guy going through it," Donlon said. "I see both sides of it. What's changed, though, is it's becoming more of a business for the student-athletes. There's just not much loyalty to the school, to the coaching staff in today's college game. I don't want that to come across as negative to Julius, but that's what it is." Xavier's Mark Lyons will also take advantage of the rule this year, going to Arizona and being able to play this season. But his case was different in that Musketeers coach Chris Mack felt it was the right move for Lyons to leave the program. In the massive transfer list compiled by CBSSports, which stands at approximately 425, there are at least 25 players who are exploring the fifth-rule transfer rule. The number is actually closer to 50 -- which stands at more than 10 percent of the overall transfer rate. Many of them are doing it for the right reasons. However, Wood's success in East Lansing had a direct bearing on Mays deciding to take advantage of the rule. What if Mays has similar success at the most visible program in the country this coming season? "If that happens, you're going to see coaches making a list of mid-major guys who redshirted," Wood said. "It could get out of control." No, it will get out of control. Creighton coach Greg McDermott understands, like most, the thought process when the rule was put in place. "I've got no problem with the rule," he said. "But I'm not sure how many graduate programs are one-year programs. I think they should be required to sit out the year and they can play the second year." Donlon also feels that players should not be allowed to leave and play right away. Wood majored in sports marketing and business at Valpo and then went into an advertising program at Michigan State. He said he has one semester left and will finish as soon as he gets the opportunity. McDermott redshirted two players this past season. It's a tactic utilized by many coaches throughout the country for various reasons -- to mature physically and also give kids the opportunity to adapt to the academic environment in college. "We'll continue to do it," McDermott said of redshirting certain players. "But there's certainly some risk involved now." Yes, the risk that four years into his college career, some high-major assistant coach calls the AAU or high school coach of the player making clear of the option and interest. Old Dominion's Blaine Taylor redshirts players with as much regularity as just about any coach in the country -- and much of the Monarchs' success can be attributed to having older, mature players. "Like many rules, this one has good intent," Taylor said. "But it's for Olympic sport athletes. It's misplaced in college basketball." Mays and Lyons aren't the only ones leaving for greener, higher pastures this offseason. R.J. Evans averaged 11.5 points at Holy Cross last season and will finish his college career playing for Jim Calhoun at UConn. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's top player, Terence Jones, has left and will spend his fifth year at UAB. There are 25 players we know about on the transfer list for certain right now -- with another 25 or so likely also exploring the opportunity. Next year that number could double -- largely depending on the fate of guys such as Mays and Lyons. And more importantly, it'll put coaches in a precarious position. "It's an ethical dilemma," Donlon admitted, "Obviously, you want your players to graduate. But do you slow down the academic progress because if they graduate on time, it opens the door for them to leave." It has an alarming ring to it, but that's the reality. For now, it's helping kids and giving them an opportunity. But that could easily change in the future.
Few Surprises on Ohio State’s Post-Spring Depth Chart By Brandon Castel COLUMBUS, Ohio — Urban Meyer wasn’t leaving anything up to chance. That’s why he waited until after his individual meetings with the Ohio State football players before releasing the first 2-deep depth chart of his head-coaching tenure in Columbus. Meyer finally did unveil the post-spring depth chart on Wednesday, just before the start of his first press conference since the Scarlet and Gray Spring Game back in April. There were very few surprises on the depth chart, but one that did jump of the page was sophomore Doran Grant being listed as a co-starter at cornerback with senior Travis Howard. Another surprise could be sophomore defensive lineman Michael Bennett, who was listed as the backup to Johnathan Hankins after playing with the first-team defense throughout most of the spring. Junior Adam Bellamy was listed as the fourth starter on the defensive line, but Meyer was quick to call Bennett his most pleasant surprise of the spring on the defensive side of the ball. “Michael Bennett was a surprise on defense," Meyer said Wednesday. "He’s listed as a backup to Johnathan Hankins but that may not necessarily be the case in the fall. It’s hard for me to say that he isn’t one of the four best.” On offense, Meyer picked center Corey Linsley as his most pleasant surprise. He said Linsley had been a “journeyman” before Meyer and his staff arrived, but completely turned himself around this off-season. “Corey Linsley was a surprise on offense, but not really a surprise. I just hadn’t seen him play," Meyer said. "But he is a journeyman-to-starter player. He has the potential to be a very good player. He is a very committed player.” The two-deep lists true freshman Jacoby Boren as the backup to Linsley at center. Boren had shoulder surgery midway through spring practice to repair a torn labrum, but still found himself ahead of Brian Bobek coming out of spring ball. The other four starters were as expected on the offensive line, but Meyer said true freshman Taylor Decker is right on the heals of senior Reid Fragel's heals at right tackle. “He's in a dogfight for that position,” Meyer said of Fragel, who moved from tight end to offensive tackle this off-season. Meyer said it was the addition of Decker, a 4-star prospect out of Vandalia Butler, which turned a nonfunctional offensive line into a functioning one during the spring. One position that is not functional yet, according to Meyer, is the wide receiver spot. “The good news is there is some talent there,” Meyer said, “but this is probably most unprepared group I’ve ever had to deal with.” Despite his breakout performance in the spring game, freshman Michael Thomas was listed as the backup to sophomore Devin Smith on the two-deep. The other starters were listed as Corey “Philly” Brown and Evan Spencer, who injured his shoulder towards the end of camp. Behind Brown was Chris Fields, and behind Spencer was Verlon Reed, a starting wideout from a year ago who did not take part in team drills this spring because of a knee injury. On defense, the Buckeyes are listing Nathan Williams as a co-starter with Bellamy at defensive end. Williams has started running in the pool and will begin dry-land running in June. According to Meyer, defensive coordinator Luke Fickell thinks Williams could be their best defensive lineman in the fall if he’s healthy. Meyer also expects incoming freshman Noah Spence to compete for paying time at the Leo position. Right now, John Simon is listed as the starter, while Steve Miller and J.T. Moore are listed as co-backups. Sophomore Curtis Grant held on to the top spot at middle linebacker, despite an injury late in camp. He is just ahead of senior Storm Klein, while both Luke Roberts and Connor Crowell are listed as backups to Ryan Shazier at the Will linebacker spot. In the secondary, Bradley Roby is listed as the starter across from Howard/Grant, while C.J. Barnett and Christian Bryant occupy the top spots at safety. Senior Orhian Johnson and junior Corey Brown are listed as the backups. Meyer said he expects Jordan Hall and Devin Smith to be his primary return men to start fall camp. Hall was listed as the No. 1 running back, ahead of Carlos Hyde. Rod Smith and Bri’onte Dunn did not appear on the two-deep, and Meyer doesn’t expect many players who weren’t on the list to make an impact in the fall. “I would have put him on there,” Meyer said. Two other freshmen who could get a chance to compete in the fall are linebackers David Perkins and Jamal Marcus. Camren Williams could also be in the mix and Meyer called offensive tackle Kyle Dodson an intriguing prospect. “Especially after the way Decker worked his way into the mix so quickly this spring,” he said. COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State coach Urban Meyer made one thing abundantly clear to his players before the start of spring practice. Urban Meyer Photo by Jim Davidson Meyer’s first spring was not just about skill development and installing his new system on offense. It was about earning a spot in the two-deep, and ultimately the starting lineup. With a few exceptions at some positions of need, spots are set heading into the fall, according to Meyer, who was very deliberate in selecting his first depth chart at Ohio State. He made sure to let the players know exactly where they stand before handing them over to the strength staff for summer conditioning. Here is a rundown of what Meyer had to say Wednesday. Depth Chartin’ * Meyer said his No. 1 surprise on offense this spring was Corey Linsley. Called him a journeyman before this spring. * Meyer said Michael Bennett was biggest surprise on defense. "He's listed as a backup, but it's hard for me to say he's not one of 4 best." * Freshman Taylor Decker is right on the heals of senior Reid Fragel's at RT. "He's in a dogfight for that position." * Asked if there's a guy not on the 2-deep who could make an impact, Meyer responded, "No, I would have put him on there." * Meyer thinks Noah Spence will be in immediate contention for playing time because they need more pass rushers. * Meyer also said David Perkins, Jamal Marcus and Kyle Dodson could be intriguing because of depth issues. Offensive Updates * Meyer said early in the spring, the offense was a clown show. Around the 3rd week it started to resemble an offense. * Meyer said Braxton Miller was kind of the "cool guy" before. Great high school player who didn't always push himself. Not anymore. * Meyer: "I like Kenny Guiton. Can't believe I am saying that." * Zach Boren has lost 12 pounds and they plan to hand him the ball this fall. * Meyer said addition of Taylor Decker made the offensive line "functional." Called it nonfunctional in winter. * Meyer said WR's aren't functional yet. Some talent, but called them "most unprepared group" he's dealt with. Defensive Updates * Senior DE Nathan Williams is running the pool. Meyer said Luke Fickell thinks he could be their best D-lineman. * Meyer said Kenny Hayes was dealing with headaches this spring. Still in class, but been away from football. * Meyer said Chris Carter showed good promise after switching sides. If he can get his weight down, he might be a player. (Not) Talking Anzalone * Meyer not permitted to speak specifically about Alex Anzalone situation, but called it "alarming." Said "first thing you worry about is safety." * Meyer said he learned about "situation with a recruit" when he stepped off a plane. Had no idea what was happening. * Meyer said the most frustrating things in recruiting are things like this, which are beyond a coach’s control. Play On, Playoff * Meyer is still against a playoff/plus-one system because of workload for coaches/players. * He said the players will be celebrating after first win, but head coach will be yelling at his assistants to fix mistakes before title game. * Meyer admitted he would have liked a playoff at Utah, but said he loves the system they have had for last decade. * Meyer said it would be a problem for the southern teams he coaches to come play a game in Columbus in December.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Irving named NBA's top rookie - Penguins Big 3 - Top MLB Rookies

Irving named NBA's top rookie INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) -- Once Kyrie Irving finished cracking jokes, thanking Cleveland's fans, his teammates and coaches, he looked down from the podium at the person who promised this would happen. He was the NBA's Rookie of the Year. "This award is for us," Irving said to his father, Dred, who raised his son after his wife, Elizabeth, died 15 years ago. "We're bringing it back home and we're going to put it right on the mantle and we're going to put some flashing lights on it so it shines throughout the whole entire house." This season, Irving shined brightest. The 20-year-old ran away in voting by a nationwide media panel that could have handed in ballots with two months left in the season. There was really no other choice. Irving received 117 of 120 possible first-place votes from writers and broadcasters and finished with 592 points, more than three times as many as Minnesota's Ricky Rubio (170), who finished second despite missing most of the season with a knee injury. Denver's Kenneth Faried (129) was a distant third. Faried, San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard and New York's Iman Shumpert received the other first-place votes, stopping Irving from joining Blake Griffin (2011), David Robinson (1990) and Ralph Sampson (1984) as the only players to win the award unanimously. Irving played beyond his years and above everyone's expectations - including his own - this season when he routinely took over games in the fourth quarter and renewed the hopes of a Cleveland franchise still putting together the pieces after LeBron James left as a free agent two summers ago. Irving always felt the award was within his reach. "It was a goal of mine," Irving said. "I kept it on the back burner. I knew as long as we won games and we beat great teams that it was going to come." The first pick in last year's draft, Irving led all rookies - and the Cavs - in scoring with 18.5 points per game. He also led first-year players in field-goal percentage (46.8), was second in assists (5.4) and became one of just six rookies in league history to average at least 18 points and five assists. However, it was the other elements of his game - a nasty crossover dribble, a fearless desire to get to the basket, and a clutch, cold-blooded instinct in the fourth quarter - that separated him from the others. Cavs coach Byron Scott knew Irving was special long before he made his pro debut. "The day we brought him in for his individual workout before the draft, I thought he was definitely the best player that we had," Scott said. Still, Irving's first season, delayed because of the league's labor lockout, began with some doubting whether he was deserving of the top pick or if Cleveland had made a mistake. Irving had played in just 11 games at Duke because of a toe injury. It didn't take him long for him to show the Cavs made a perfect choice. "When they drafted me, there were a lot of questions about my toe and everything, would he live up to the hype or whatever," he said. "I didn't pay any attention to all that, just being in these closed doors helped me have a vision and be focused every single day. I wasn't the most heralded No. 1 pick. I had my own goals and I had my own team goals." Irving made spectacular moves and game-winning shots and earned MVP honors at the Rising Stars game during All-Star weekend in Orlando. But when asked what moment stood above all the others in a magical first season, Irving had a surprise answer. It came, of all places, in a huddle during a timeout at Indianapolis. With 4.4 seconds left and the Cavaliers tied 84-84 with the Pacers, Scott, who has formed a tight bond with his young star point guard, drew up a play for Irving to take the last shot even though he was playing just his third game as a pro. "I was surprised," Irving said. "We kind of knew each other. I didn't really know the bald-headed man. I just knew that when he told me it was a high screen and roll, I was like, `I'm going to do my best to get to the basket."' Irving's left-handed layup rolled out, and the Cavs lost in overtime. But Irving knew that from that moment on that the Cavaliers were his team and that Scott expected him to lead them. "Just him having that confidence in me was a stepping stone for me," he said. "It was a learning experience, and I needed it." A month later in Boston, with his father sitting courtside, Irving made up for the miss at Indiana. With the Cavs down by one, Irving, ignoring his failure in the previous situation, drove to the basket, split two defenders and flipped in a left-handed layup to beat the Celtics. Irving arrived with none of the superstar trappings. There was no entourage or multimillion dollar shoe contract, no cameras chronicling his every move. He often tossed the praise on others and minimized his role in victories. "One of his biggest attributes - you can ask all of his teammates - he's willing to give up a little bit of himself for the greater good of the team," said general manager Chris Grant. "That's truly what makes great leaders. That's what makes great people and great players." Irving appears to be the major piece the Cavs can build around, and they plan to get him some help next month with three of the top 34 picks in the draft. "He's great and the way he carries himself is really remarkable," said Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, who opened his downtown casino Monday night. "He's 20 years old. He can't have a drink legally or come into our casino but he can do everything else." Irving, too, is excited about the future in Cleveland. "I know what we're building here is something special," he said, "and I'm here for the long haul." Room for Crosby, Staal and Malkin? Ray Shero, with his team long since bounced from the playoffs, has lots of work to do. Sidney Crosby and Jordan Staal have one year left on their contracts, and Evgeni Malkin has two. Negotiations with Crosby and Staal can't begin until July 1, so there's no way of knowing precisely what they'll be asking for, but Shero reiterated that his goal is to retain all three. "I'd like to do that, if possible," he said. "We're looking at hopefully getting extensions with [Crosby and Staal]." While it is conceivable that Staal, the team's No. 3 center, might want to play elsewhere so he can fill a more offense-oriented role, he apparently has not said anything of the sort to the Penguins.
MLB Rookie Player Rankings si.com Batters 1. Kirk Nieuwenhuis, CF - New York Mets Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 10 Nieuwenhuis, whose last name will forevermore be a copy-and-paste job, is putting up strong offensive numbers in 2012 (.302/.379/.422), and he's also seen time at all three outfield positions. That's a highly useful body of work so far. Key Stats: 116 AB, 2 HR, .302 AVG, 12 RBI, 19 R, 2 SB 2. Yonder Alonso, 1B - San Diego Padres Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 15 Despite playing his home games in a park that's very much working against him, Alonso boasts an OBP of .370, and he's also on pace for a whopping 54 doubles. Key Stats: 120 AB, 1 HR, .300 AVG, 10 RBI, 7 R, 1 SB 3. Zack Cozart, SS - Cincinnati Reds Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 11 Cozart, Cincy's rookie shortstop, is batting .254/.307/.423 on the season, which makes for solid production by the standards of the position. As well, his advanced defensive numbers are quite strong so far, although the sample size is of course small. Key Stats: 130 AB, 3 HR, .254 AVG, 8 RBI, 19 R, 1 SB 4. Matt Carpenter, 1B - St. Louis Cardinals Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 13 Carpenter's strong minor-league dossier has carried over to the majors. He's slugging .500 on the year, and he's seen action at four different positions. In a related matter, Carpenter's been one of the more valuable super-subs around. Key Stats: 84 AB, 2 HR, .274 AVG, 17 RBI, 12 R, 0 SB 5. Yoenis Cespedes, CF - Oakland Athletics Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 17 Ballyhooed import Cespedes has shown light-tower power on occasion and flashed speed on the bases. Thus far, he looks stretched defensively in center, but the home run stroke is for real. He's presently on the DL with a hand injury. Key Stats: 106 AB, 5 HR, .245 AVG, 21 RBI, 10 R, 4 SB 6. Jesus Montero, DH - Seattle Mariners Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 8 Montero, like Alonso, calls home a park that's pretty hostile toward his skills as a hitter, but he's holding his own thus far. Montero has a 101 OPS+, and he's logged 125.0 innings behind the plate. For as long as you've heard about the former Yankee prospect, it's easy to forget that he's still just 22 years of age. Key Stats: 126 AB, 5 HR, .262 AVG, 17 RBI, 12 R, 0 SB 7. Mike Trout, CF - Los Angeles Angels Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 33 Trout isn't short on press clippings, and thus far in 2012 the performance is justifying them. His batting line of .283/.344/.491 is praiseworthy, particularly in today's depressed run-scoring environment, and his once-in-a-generation speed provides value in a number of ways. If Trout had been called up earlier and thus logged more playing time, then he'd be higher on this list. Key Stats: 53 AB, 2 HR, .283 AVG, 7 RBI, 8 R, 2 SB 8. Will Middlebrooks, 3B - Boston Red Sox Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 23 Sample size? Very small. Productivity to date? Very good. Presently, Middlebrooks is hitting .304/.347/.674 with four homers in just 49 plate appearances. Like Trout, it's playing time that's holding him down in the rankings. Unfortunately for Middlebrooks, he's likely to be optioned once Kevin Youkilis returns. Key Stats: 46 AB, 4 HR, .304 AVG, 13 RBI, 9 R, 1 SB 9. Bryce Harper, LF - Washington Nationals Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 39 It's hard to recall a player this hyped in advance of his big-league debut. While Harper's overall numbers aren't superficially impressive, they are impressive for a 19-year-old. Actually, the mere presence of a 19-year-old on a major league roster is an indicator of future stardom. He's provided plenty of moments that hint at his limitless potential. Key Stats: 56 AB, 1 HR, .232 AVG, 4 RBI, 8 R, 1 SB 10. Tyler Pastornicky, SS - Atlanta Braves Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 17 The offensive numbers leave something to be desired, as do the early defensive indicators. But Pastornicky has played regularly and stabilized a position that's pretty key to the Braves, what with his being stuck in the infield between the 40-year-old Chipper Jones and the lumbering Dan Uggla. Key Stats: 104 AB, 1 HR, .269 AVG, 11 RBI, 14 R, 1 SB Pitchers 1. Drew Smyly, SP - Detroit Tigers Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 55 Not only is the ERA an impressive 2.31, but Smyly is also whiffing almost a batter per inning (while issuing just 10 unintentional walks) and generating a high percentage of swinging strikes. The young lefty changes speeds well with his fastball and effectively works in his slider. He's been one of the pleasant surprises to date in 2012. Key Stats: 39.0 IP, 1-0 W-L, 0 SV, 2.31 ERA, 38 Ks, 11 BB 2. Yu Darvish, SP - Texas Rangers Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 16 Cope with it: he's a rookie. Darvish has struggled with his command and control at times, but the ERA is under 3.00, and the K rate is second in the AL. He's looking like the ace-in-making he was billed as. Key Stats: 44.1 IP, 5-1 W-L, 0 SV, 2.84 ERA, 51 Ks, 24 BB 3. Wei-Yin Chen, SP - Baltimore Orioles Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 38 While Darvish is hogging the attention as import hurlers from the Pacific Rim go, Chen also merits a mention. In six starts, Chen has yet to allow more than three earned in any outing, and his 2012 ERA stands at 2.43. Chen has a full repertoire and good sink on just about every pitch he throws. He's still just 26, so there's more of the same to come. Key Stats: 37.0 IP, 3-0 W-L, 0 SV, 2.43 ERA, 28 Ks, 12 BB 4. Wade Miley, SP - Arizona Diamondbacks Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 74 Not much has gone right for the Snakes in 2012, but Miley's early success is an exception. The ERA stands at 2.76, and he's given up only one home run in 32.2 innings pitched. Miley also boasts a groundball rate north of 50 percent. He almost certainly won't keep it up, but he's helped stabilize the Arizona rotation thus far. Key Stats: 32.2 IP, 3-1 W-L, 0 SV, 2.76 ERA, 22 Ks, 11 BB 5. David Phelps, RP - New York Yankees Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 114 If not for the return of Andy Pettitte, the 25-year-old Phelps would still be part of the Yankee rotation. He's given up just nine runs in 27.1 innings, and he's positioned himself as a valuable swing man. Every staff could use a David Phelps. Key Stats: 27.1 IP, 1-1 W-L, 0 SV, 2.96 ERA, 23 Ks, 11 BB 6. Jarrod Parker, SP - Oakland Athletics Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 78 Parker's peripherals aren't terribly impressive so far, and his velocity is down from advertised levels. However, he's keeping runs off the board (2.10 ERA after four starts). While there's certainly some luck and good defense supporting that ERA, it's still made him valuable to the Oakland cause. Key Stats: 25.2 IP, 1-1 W-L, 0 SV, 2.1 ERA, 17 Ks, 12 BB 7. Ryan Cook, RP - Oakland Athletics Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 11 Cook, who came to Oakland as a supporting actor in the Trevor Cahill-Jarrod Parker swap, has yet to allow a run in 17.2 innings this season. The right-handed reliever has a nifty power arsenal (mid-90s fastball, mid-80s slider, with good lateral movement on both) that should serve him well moving forward. But most of all, yeah, no runs allowed in 2012. Key Stats: 17.2 IP, 0-0 W-L, 0 SV, 0.0 ERA, 17 Ks, 8 BB 8. Scott Diamond, SP - Minnesota Twins Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 57 In two major league starts, Diamond has yet to allow a run and has struck out 10 against only one walk. His minor-league record suggests he's over his head at the moment, and the sample size is miniscule. Still, so far, so good. Key Stats: 14.0 IP, 2-0 W-L, 0 SV, 0.0 ERA, 10 Ks, 1 BB 9. Randall Delgado, SP - Atlanta Braves Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 80 Delgado has managed a sub-4.00 ERA so far in 2012, and while the control hasn't been there, the K rate is solid, and he's getting ground balls. Long-term, he should continue to be a serviceable major league starter but not much more than that. Key Stats: 40.1 IP, 2-3 W-L, 0 SV, 3.79 ERA, 35 Ks, 18 BB 10. Tommy Milone, SP - Oakland Athletics Previous Rank: NR | By Position: 33 Milone hasn't been terribly consistent this season, but his overall numbers are solid enough. Given his limited ceiling, an average-ish ERA is about the best you can expect. But that's fine at the back of a rotation. Key Stats: 43.2 IP, 5-2 W-L, 0 SV, 3.92 ERA, 25 Ks, 12 BB

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

ACC/Big Ten Challenge Schedule Set - MLB Power Rankings -Brian Bosworth Today

'The Boz' still being punished for being ... a college kid dennis dodd sportsline.com Before everything else that defined his life, Brian Bosworth was a just a college kid. That's what I'll remember about first meeting Oklahoma's great linebacker. It was the mid-1980s. I had gone to Norman to report his story for the Kansas City Star. This brash kid from Irving, Texas was making news with his hits and his mouth. The Boz was just being born. It was a different time. Imagine today a reporter interviewing a star player -- any player -- in his dorm room. That's when we were allowed to actually get to know our subjects. I distinctly remember two things from that dorm room almost 30 years ago that were unremarkable then, but would have been a social media feed bag today. It was an era when college football was just discovering itself. A Supreme Court ruling had allowed the game to go viral on TV in a landmark decision against the NCAA. Dynasties were established. Nicknames flourished. Alter egos evolved. College football's revolution was definitely being televised. Boz was its William Wallace, a wild-eyed rebel among a growing number of athletes who woofed, preened and hit like mothers. Miami had a team full of Bozzes -- wild, cocky, smack-talking rogues. Oklahoma wasn't far behind. We loved it. Fans, media, the cameras. It was even better when those loud-mouthed louts could play. Bosworth definitely could. He remains today the only two-time winner of the Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker. A two-time All-American, Sports Illustrated named him a member of its all-century team. If you don't remember one of the greatest defensive forces in the game's history you're not alone. Neither does the College Football Hall of Fame. The hall will announce its latest class Tuesday. This is the 13th year Bosworth will be eligible. Don't bet your tailgate guacamole dip he will make it. "I don't need to be part of some club," he said Monday sounding very Boznian. "To me, the last thing I want to do is be reminded I'm not playing anymore. It crushes me." It crushed Bosworth to the point that he wasn't pain-free until around 2002 when both shoulders were replaced. He saw a psychologist "well after I should have." It crushed Bosworth to see Junior Seau commit suicide but in a strange way, he understood. "We've all been on that cliff," Bosworth said. "Some of us step off it." It's been 23 years since he last made a tackle but Bosworth still longs for football like a junkie longs for a drug. Only a sensitive stomach allowed him to avoid further misery when those shoulders ached. Bosworth was able to stay away from potentially addicting painkillers. At times, his life has been one of NFL and personal disappointment. The first-round draft choice's NFL career lasted only three years. There has been a divorce, surgery and a land deal gone bad. To know Boz today, is to know him as a straight-to-DVD action hero. "If they call me tomorrow and say, 'Hey dude, you're in,' it's not going to make me any happier," Bosworth said. "It won't give me any more fulfillment. I think I've spent enough time living in my past about things I did when I was young." Those are not the stories any Hall of Fame wants to hear. But every sport contains rogues, criminals and in the case of the college hall, an alleged murderer. It makes no sense, then, to leave Bosworth out based on some nebulous definition of "character." "It's the negative stuff [why] he's not in the hall," Barry Switzer said with indignation. One man's negative is another man's revolution. The "stuff" included a wacked-out hairdo that, these days, Nicki Minaj would consider conservative. Boz's two favorite things in college were "Domino's Pizza and The Three Stooges." He once said he puked at the site of burnt orange, referring to hated Texas. Bosworth was most infamously known for being suspended prior to the 1987 Orange Bowl after testing positive for steroids. The then-21 year old reacted by wearing a homemade T-shirt on the sidelines that read: "National Communists Against Athletes." Even that was too much for Switzer. "I didn't see it until I looked at the film," Oklahoma's former coach said. "I said, 'Boz you need to plan on playing pro football because your ass ain't going to play for me anymore. It wasn't the T-shirt. I told him not to do anything that would embarrass himself, the team or this university. He did. That's why I kicked his ass off the team." But the same lug who consumed pizzas and the Three Stooges in equal amounts, also graduated in 3 ½ years with a GPA north of 3.0. Burnt orange made him sick, mostly because his girlfriend had just dumped him for a Longhorn. If smack talk and steroids are reasons not to honor one of the greatest linebackers ever, you haven't been reading the headlines. In fact, you might as well shut down the College Football Hall of Fame. "Bobby Bowden called me unsolicited," Switzer said. "He said, 'Barry I want to tell you something. Brian Bosworth is the most dominant defensive force in college football today.' I said, 'You're right.' He could destroy offenses." And really that's all that should matter this week for a 74-year-old former coach and a middle-aged 'backer-turned-actor. Their legacy is in the balance but so is the hall's. O.J. Simpson remains in the Hall of Fame. LSU's Billy Canon did time for counterfeiting. He's also in the hall. Yes, The Boz is guilty -- of being a college kid. We're essentially talking about that kid drinking beer and raising a little hell. "When you're 20, we all make stupid and impulsive decisions," he said. Held to that standard, a lot of us wouldn't have our jobs today. If it matters, and it should, The Boz is sorry. Check out this nine-year old YouTube video. In it, Bosworth apologizes for any and all his transgressions. The setting was a gathering of former Oklahoma greats. Bosworth comes close to crying. "I think I've shamed the program in a lot of ways," he says. "I want to apologize to each and every one of you guys for the things I did." "He was embarrassed," Switzer said. "There were five decades of players in that room. Boz, he bared his soul somewhat." And that should be enough. A quarter century after Bosworth played, Switzer still believes he, his linebacker and Oklahoma are paying a price. It took Switzer 10 years to get in the hall. A great coaching career was disgraced at the end when OU went on NCAA probation in 1989. Quarterback Charles Thompson made the cover of SI for allegedly dealing cocaine to an undercover agent. "That," Switzer said of those lawless end days, "was obviously was what -- I really believe -- kept me [out]." Among the criteria for eligibility into the hall is, "[the candidate] must have proven himself worthy as a citizen, carrying the ideals of football forward into his relations with his community and his fellow man with love of his country." With the likes of Simpson and Canon enshrined, those criteria are a bit confusing, if not misleading. Hall voters remain undecided on Bosworth's candidacy. From 2000-2008 he did not make the ballot. Since 2009, he has. Maybe that has something to do with Bosworth gradually becoming a member of the establishment he once ridiculed. He got married and was eventually divorced. It happens. Over the years, Badass Boz settled down and sold real estate. He helped rescue a woman who rolled her SUV. In 2009, he gave CPR to a man who had collapsed in a parking lot. At the time he was reportedly on his way home from doing community service for a DUI. That happens, too. "They called him a bust," Switzer said of Bosworth's brief pro career. "The guy is drafted in the first round … How can that be a bust? Ryan Leaf is a bust." The years have taught us there is only one Boz. Deion Sanders once said Bosworth's antics paved the way for "Prime Time." An all-century linebacker should be a slam dunk. But 13 years later there is little reason to believe anything will change on Tuesday. Why? Who knows? The NFF election process is arcane and confusing. Based on current rules, Notre Dame's Joe Montana will never be in the College Football Hall of Fame. He was never an All-American on a team recognized by the NCAA. If that sounds outrageous, consider that at one time hall of famers had to actually graduate. Unfortunately, what most of the world remembers is that Seattle's top draft choice flew to his first professional practice in helicopter. They remember a Monday Night Football game in which Bo Jackson trucked Bosworth on the way to a touchdown. That was back when Monday Night Football mattered. Suddenly, it seemed, Bosworth didn't. And that's OK, too. Bosworth is remarried. There are still the movies. There is a documentary in the works that features those great Oklahoma teams. No doubt The Boz will be featured. But as a man nearing 50, Brian Bosworth is trying to get away from his alter ego. The problem is that soon, preferably Tuesday, the hall needs to embrace it, celebrate it, honor it. It probably won't. Bosworth won't be waiting by the phone. "I don't think I'll ever mentally heal," he said. "The saddest day of my life was the day I didn't get to play football anymore." ACC/Big Ten Challenge Schedule Set BRISTOL, Conn. -- Indiana will host North Carolina in a high-profile showcase for the resurgent Hoosiers during next season's ACC/Big Ten Challenge. North Carolina State will visit Michigan on Nov. 27, and Ohio State will play at Duke the next day during the 14th annual event. Coming off its first appearance in the regional semifinals of the NCAA tournament in a decade, Indiana adds a strong recruiting class to returnees Cody Zeller and Christian Watford. The Hoosiers face a Tar Heels team hit hard by graduation and NBA defections. The other Nov. 27 matchups announced Monday by ESPN are Minnesota at Florida State, Maryland at Northwestern, Iowa at Virginia Tech and Nebraska at Wake Forest. The Nov. 28 games are Virginia at Wisconsin, Michigan State at Miami, Purdue at Clemson, Georgia Tech at Illinois and Boston College at Penn State.
MLB Power Rankings 1 Last Week: 2 St. Louis Cardinals WAR Winning Percentage: .766; Current Winning Percentage: .588; WAR Wins: 26; Current Wins: 20 With Lance Berkman returning on Sunday, the National League's most powerful offense will finally be at full power. Allen Craig will move to a part time role, but with the age of the Cardinals corner outfielders and first baseman, they should be able to find enough plate appearances for Craig, who has a career 143 wRC+ and five home runs in 10 games this year. 2 Last Week: 1 Texas Rangers WAR Winning Percentage: .723; Current Winning Percentage: .657; WAR Wins: 25; Current Wins: 23 Josh Hamilton has five more home runs than the entire San Diego Padres. His 3.2 WAR is better than five other teams' position player total. This Bonds-ian type start has helped the Rangers score more runs than any other team in baseball as well as maintain the league's highest slugging percentage, and the rest of the Rangers haven't been too bad either. 3 Last Week: 5 Los Angeles Dodgers WAR Winning Percentage: .613; Current Winning Percentage: .676; WAR Wins: 21; Current Wins: 23 While Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier are the the big names in L.A., A.J. Ellis has been a huge reason for the Dodgers' hot start. There is an argument to be made, in fact, that Ellis has been the best catcher in baseball this year, as his 1.8 WAR is the best in the league at the position. Ellis' performance is fueled by a walk rate of almost 20 percent, behind only Joey Votto and Ben Zobrist, and while part of that comes from hitting lower in the order in the National League he's always been a selective hitter, and might turn out to be Jason Kendall Lite. 4 Last Week: 6 New York Yankees WAR Winning Percentage: .598; Current Winning Percentage: .559; WAR Wins: 20; Current Wins: 19 While Curtis Granderson has just one stolen base, his line is nearly identical to his 2011 breakout year. Granderson is hitting .260/.349/.557 compared to .262/.364/.552 last year, when he hit 41 home runs after hitting 24 the season previous, so the improved skills do not seem like a fluke. The Yankees have battled injuries to Brett Gardner and Nick Swisher, but have still remained an overall potent outfield thanks to Granderson's punch and Andruw Jones effectiveness as a role player. 5 Last Week: 3 Atlanta Braves WAR Winning Percentage: .597; Current Winning Percentage: .629; WAR Wins: 21; Current Wins: 22 Jason Heyward's bounceback season has been a huge boon to the Braves thus far, who currently lead the NL East. Heyward is not far from matching his WAR total from last year, while he has already matched his stolen base total with nine thefts in 11 chances. The Braves' starting pitchers have struggled, with the second worst starting pitching ERA in the NL, but their offense and bullpen have kept them atop the division thus far. 6 Last Week: 4 Washington Nationals WAR Winning Percentage: .581; Current Winning Percentage: .618; WAR Wins: 20; Current Wins: 21 The injuries are continuing to mount for the Nationals, who have now lost catcher Wilson Ramos to a torn ACL after losing Jayson Werth to a broken wrist. As an offensively challenged team even with those two, the Nationals will need to get better production from every position player aside from Adam LaRoche, who has six home runs and a .430 on base percentage. Look for the Nationals to bring in someone from outside the organization to boost the offense and give the pitching some assistance. 7 Last Week: 17 Boston Red Sox WAR Winning Percentage: .545; Current Winning Percentage: .441; WAR Wins: 19; Current Wins: 15 The Red Sox's record ? 15-19 through Sunday -- does not accurately portray how they have played to date, as they have produced offensively to the tune of a 112 wRC+ and have the largest gap between their ERA (5.00) and FIP (4.53). Red Sox pitchers have stranded just 68.8 percent of runners, which should rise as the season progresses(only the Twins, who have the worst record in the majors, have stranded fewer runners this year). Boston's record does not look great, but this still a talented team, and it's playing better than its record suggests. 8 Last Week: 13 Philadelphia Phillies WAR Winning Percentage: .543; Current Winning Percentage: .457; WAR Wins: 19; Current Wins: 16 Philadelphia has the second highest total pitching WAR but are number 12 in overall ERA, mostly due to a .333 wOBA allowed with runners in scoring position. The Phillies have pitched well, but they should be receiving even better results. Their offense continues to struggle without the injured Ryan Howard and especially Chase Utley in the lineup, but they should be able to expect better performances from Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins and Hunter Pence than what they're getting now. 9 Last Week: 9 Baltimore Orioles WAR Winning Percentage: .537; Current Winning Percentage: .629; WAR Wins: 19; Current Wins: 22 Most people would be surprised if they were told in March that the Orioles would lead the league in home runs on May 14, but Adam Jones and the rest of the O's have made it happen. Jones (10), J.J. Hardy (8) and Matt Wieters (8) are leading the way in home runs for what has turned into an extremely potent offense. Their bullpen has also been a big reason for their early success, as they lead the American League with 38 shutdowns. 10 Last Week: 16 Milwaukee Brewers WAR Winning Percentage: .513; Current Winning Percentage: .441; WAR Wins: 17; Current Wins: 15 The same issues that have caused the Red Sox to have an underwhelming record have also plagued the Brewers, as no team in baseball has a worse ERA (4.69) to FIP (3.60) split. Closer John Axford and starter Zack Greinke have suffered from a mixture of poor defense and poor luck, which has led to higher ERAs than expected, and these kinds of gaps generally don't persist all season. 23 Last Week: 23 Cleveland Indians WAR Winning Percentage: .437; Current Winning Percentage: .529; WAR Wins: 15; Current Wins: 18 The only Cleveland starter with more than two starts and an ERA under 4.66 is Derek Lowe, who has a 2.47 ERA despite a 3.94 FIP. The contact-heavy staff has not hurt the Indian's real record yet, but they will need better pitching to stay atop the relatively weak American League Central. They will also need better production from their outfield, as Shin Soo Choo is the only regular with a wRC+ above 100.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Terrelle Pryor addresses scandal - Josh Hamilton

Terrelle Pryor addresses scandal Terrelle Pryor is trying to put his past behind him and become a successful NFL quarterback. But he's not finished talking about what happened at Ohio State. “The reason why I did it was to pay my mother's gas bill and some of her rent. I was telling the NCAA, 'Please, anything that you can do. I gave my mother this so my sister wouldn't be cold, so my mother wouldn't be cold.' They didn't have any sympathy for me. ”-- Terrelle Pryor Pryor, now with the Oakland Raiders, received a five-game suspension in his final season with the Buckeyes for selling memorabilia. Nearly a full year later, Pryor, in an interview with Sports Illustrated, opened up about the decisions he made and the reasons why he made them. "It was humbling," Pryor told Sports Illustrated. "A mistake I made when I was a freshman by selling my pants for $3,000 just took away everything from me. I was just driven into the ground. I was the worst person in the world. My face popped up on the screen, and it seemed like I was the only one who did anything. I was the only one who was getting attacked. "At that point last year, I'm 21 and it just felt like everything was against me, like I can't do anything right. I did something to help somebody else out, and I end up getting into trouble. I understand. I shouldn't have sold the stuff and taken $3,000. But I was kind of in a place where I didn't understand why this is happening to me -- especially for the reason that I did it." Pryor was suspended for the first five games of last season and then decided to enter the NFL supplemental draft, where he was chosen by the Raiders. He was later banned from associating with Ohio State for five years. Bennett: Two Sides To This Story Terrelle Pryor is not necessarily a villain, but ESPN.com's Brian Bennett hopes the current Oakland Raider has learned some important lessons in the last year. Blog Pryor said he chose to take money in exchange for memorabilia to help his family. "The reason why I did it was to pay my mother's gas bill and some of her rent," Pryor told Sports Illustrated. "She was four months behind in rent, and the (landlord) was so nice because he was an Ohio State fan. He gave her the benefit of the doubt and she said, 'My son will pay you back sometime if you just let me pay you back during my work sessions.' She ended up losing her job, and she and my sister lived there. "Let me remind you it was freezing cold in November, December and she's using the oven as heat. That's what I did as a kid. I was telling the NCAA, 'Please, anything that you can do. I gave my mother this so my sister wouldn't be cold, so my mother wouldn't be cold.' They didn't have any sympathy for me." Pryor also said he has documentation in the form of a receipt, proving the money went toward his family's bills and not personal use. "Whenever I write my book, the proof will be in there, the receipt that the money I gave my mother was to pay the electric and heat bill," Pryor told Sports Illustrated. "The truth is going to come out one day when the time is right. I don't think I deserved (being punished) in that way, because of the reason I was doing it. I felt like I was doing God's work in a way, and I was getting driven into the ground."
Day after 4-homer game, Hamilton says he can play anywhere
BALTIMORE -- On the day after the greatest one-night display of hitting in American League history, Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, a potential free agent at the end of the season, delivered a message in response to media speculation that leaving Texas would create complications because of his substance abuse history: he can play anywhere. In comments to me Wednesday during an interview for MLB Tonight on MLB Network, Hamilton said, "I'm under contract for the Rangers for this year and I'm going out just like any other year, giving everything I got, playing hard and ... but I am getting tired of hearing people say, 'It's complicated.' "When they say it's complicated, you know, I got a guy, I come to the field and play baseball and then my life is my life. My family's my life, my relationship with Christ is my life. None of that's going to change if I'm not playing in Texas. I don't get what's complicated." This is Hamilton's fifth season with the Rangers. As part of his support group the club provides a counselor to be with him at all times. The Rangers and Hamilton engaged in talks last winter toward a contract extension, but when Hamilton suffered a well-publicized alcohol relapse the two sides agreed to put those talks on hold. Hamilton did say he would "love to" remain a Ranger. "Our relationship is a deep relationship, the Rangers and mine," he said. "We've done a lot together, you know, they've supported me through certain things which is a great thing. It's great to have an employer that really cares for you as a person, not just for what you can do for them but what they can do for you and your family. That's well received on both ends." Hamilton continued, "My teammates are phenomenal, obviously, you know, they understand what I've been through. I think that is unique, that they respect the fact that I choose not to partake in any celebrations with drinking or anything like that. You know, I get paid to play the game and no matter where that's at, you know, for me? I'll be fine. Would I love to stay in Texas? Absolutely. But if I don't, I'm going to be OK." On Tuesday night in Baltimore, Hamilton became only the 16th player in major league history to hit four home runs in a game. He also doubled, giving him an AL record 18 total bases. Dating to his last plate appearance Monday, Hamilton entered Wednesday with extra-base hits in six straight plate appearances: home run, home run, home run, double, home run, home run. The streak is one short of the major league record. He entered Wednesday leading the league in all Triple Crown categories, as well as on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Hamilton obtained two of the four baseballs he hit for home runs and gave his jersey and helmet to the Hall of Fame. But Hamilton drew the line when the Hall asked for his bat. "No way," he said. "I'm not giving that up until it cracks." After the record-setting game, Hamilton returned to his hotel room with his counselor, Shayne Kelley, and stayed up until "about three in the morning" answering phone calls and texts and watching highlights from the game "five or six times," he said. Hamilton said he was unaware of the true historical importance of the four home runs, saying, "I didn't follow baseball that much as a kid. ... Once you talk to the media after it's done and get back away from it, it really kind of starts to sink in, and just what an amazing accomplishment it was." The Texas outfielder said he was helped by pregame weather in Baltimore that caused the Rangers to take batting practice in the indoor cage rather than on the field. Without the distraction of watching ball flight and carry, Hamilton said he simply concentrated on making pure contact in the cage. "I felt better on pitch recognition last night than I have during the season so far," he said. "I'm the best player when I get out of my own way and just go out there and fun."

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Spring Football Recap - MLB Power Rankings - Two Hall of Fame inductees target Tiger

MLB Power Rankings According to si.com 1 Last Week: 1 Texas Rangers WAR Winning Percentage: .722; Current Winning Percentage: .643; WAR Wins: 20; Current Wins: 18 Elvis Andrus is making his case for best shortstop in the American League, combining great plate discipline, terrific defense and improving on base skills during the first portion of the season. The Rangers have battled some injury issues to their No. 3 and 4 hitters, Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre, but have not missed a beat offensively as they have the second highest slugging percentage in baseball and the highest on-base percentage in the AL. 2 Last Week: 2 St. Louis Cardinals WAR Winning Percentage: .722; Current Winning Percentage: .607; WAR Wins: 20; Current Wins: 17 Only six National League starters have a better strikeout-to-walk ratio than Lance Lynn's 4.29 mark and his 1.60 ERA is fifth among all NL pitchers, though his .198 batting average against on balls in play suggests his ERA will rise. His transition to starter has been a huge lift to the Cardinals rotation, which has received poor results from Adam Wainwright and are missing last year's post-season hero Chris Carpenter. 3 Last Week: 4 Atlanta Braves WAR Winning Percentage: .613; Current Winning Percentage: .621; WAR Wins: 18; Current Wins: 18 Chipper Jones, at age 40, has been the best hitter on a team that is leading the majors in runs scored. On Saturday night, he became just the second Brave to have five RBIs in a game while 40 or older. The other? Babe Ruth, with the Boston Braves. The only two position players, including bench members, with a wRC+ under 100 are the shortstops, Tyler Pastornicky (86) and Jack Wilson (-30). Their pitching has struggled, with their starters posting a 4.70 ERA, but their offense has more than made up for their pitching issues. 4 Last Week: 10 Washington Nationals WAR Winning Percentage: .601; Current Winning Percentage: .643; WAR Wins: 17; Current Wins: 18 No team has pitched better than the Nationals this year, which is the biggest reason that they are currently leading the NL East. The Nationals have four starters with an ERA under 2.30, and Edwin Jackson, the only one who has an ERA higher than that, owns an FIP of 2.80. The offense has not been at the level Washington would like, mostly due to injuries to Ryan Zimmerman, Mike Morse, and now Jayson Werth, who was finally starting to live up to the $126 million contract he signed after the 2010 season before breaking his wrist on Sunday night. 5 Last Week: 5 Los Angeles Dodgers WAR Winning Percentage: .601; Current Winning Percentage: .643; WAR Wins: 17; Current Wins: 18 Left-handed Dodger starters are a combined 9-0 and Clayton Kershaw, last year's NL Cy Young award winner, has the highest ERA of the trio at 2.63. Their ERAs will likely rise as the season continues, but their overall team defense should help them keep low marks. In terms of Ultimate Zone Rating, the Dodgers have been the best defensive team in baseball. 6 Last Week: 3 New York Yankees WAR Winning Percentage: .576; Current Winning Percentage: .536; WAR Wins: 16; Current Wins: 15 The Yankees have just one starting pitcher with an FIP under 4.00, and the league average FIP is 4.07. They need better starting pitching, especially with closer Mariano Rivera out for the year. The Yankees are set up well to be able to handle Rivera's loss in the bullpen, as David Robertson, Rafael Soriano and Cory Wade have all pitched very well, but the starters will need to pitch better to limit the innings their relief pitchers are forced to throw. Currently, Yankee relief pitchers have thrown the fourth-most innings in the AL at 93 1/3. 7 Last Week: 8 Arizona Diamondbacks WAR Winning Percentage: .568; Current Winning Percentage: .483; WAR Wins: 16; Current Wins: 14 The D-backs are one game below .500 in terms of actual winning percentage, but they have played better than their record states. With men in scoring position, the Diamondbacks pitching staff has the second highest strikeout-to-walk ratio in the NL, but they have allowed the fifth-highest batting average against on balls in play in those situations. If they keep pitching as they have with men in scoring position, they'll allow fewer runs than they have been. 8 Last Week: 6 Tampa Bay Rays WAR Winning Percentage: .548; Current Winning Percentage: .655; WAR Wins: 16; Current Wins: 19 The Rays' offense has been extremely potent throughout the majority of their lineup. Eight of the nine regulars have a wRC+ above 100, with Sean Rodriguez being the laggard of the group. With Evan Longoria injured, the offensive performance of the rest of their lineup becomes even more vital. On the pitching front, Matt Moore has seriously underwhelmed to start the year, with an ERA and FIP both above 5.00. 9 Last Week: 14 Baltimore Orioles WAR Winning Percentage: .540; Current Winning Percentage: .679; WAR Wins: 15; Current Wins: 19 The Orioles are the third AL East team on the list, with 41 home runs, the second-highest total in baseball behind the Yankees, being the biggest driver behind their success. Baltimore is also second to the Yankees in isolated power, which is the difference between a team's slugging percentage and batting average. The starting pitchers have been solid as well, with ex-Rockie Jason Hammel having a career resurgence in Baltimore, posting a 2.09 ERA, 2.52 FIP and 1.3 WAR along with a 4-1 record in his first six starts in the American League. 10 Last Week: 17 Houston Astros WAR Winning Percentage: .536; Current Winning Percentage: .464; WAR Wins: 15; Current Wins: 13 The Astros are a sub-.500 team, but only three NL teams have performed better offensively according to wRC+. Middle infielders Jed Lowrie and Jose Altuve have been their best position players, combining for 3 WAR between them. Pitching has been an issue, with Wandy Rodriguez being the only starting pitcher with a WAR above 0.3. 11 Last Week: 7 San Francisco Giants WAR Winning Percentage: .526; Current Winning Percentage: .500; WAR Wins: 15; Current Wins: 14 After breaking out in Kansas City with a .305/.339/.470 line last year, Melky Cabrera has continued to mash in San Francisco with a current line of .313/.370/.443. The Giants have run into an injury bug, with Brian Wilson and Jeremy Affeldt hitting the disabled list along with position players Pablo Sandoval, Aubrey Huff and Freddy Sanchez. Along with the injury issues, the Giants are struggling to get first baseman Brandon Belt plate appearances, which they should probably change in order to keep scoring runs with much of their offense sidelined. 12 Last Week: 12 Chicago White Sox WAR Winning Percentage: .519; Current Winning Percentage: .464; WAR Wins: 15; Current Wins: 13 Adam Dunn said before the season that he intended to win the Comeback Player of the Year award, and he is certainly a leading candidate to this point in the season. After homering on Sunday, Dunn has homered in four of the past five games and has eight for the season, along with a .372 on base percentage and a .590 slugging percentage. In 2011, Dunn hit just 11 home runs and had a .292 OBP and .277 SLG. Dunn may be rivaled for the award by his teammate Jake Peavy, who owns a 1.99 ERA over his first six starts after posting a 4.92 mark in 111 2/3 innings last season. 13 Last Week: 11 Philadelphia Phillies WAR Winning Percentage: .513; Current Winning Percentage: .483; WAR Wins: 15; Current Wins: 14 The second best starter for the Phillies in terms of FIP so far this year? Joe Blanton. He has not struck out many batters, but his 2.1 percent walk rate is best in the big leagues. Roy Halladay had a poor outing against Atlanta after being spotted six runs, which has forced his ERA to 3.40, but that should come down as the season moves forward. One thing to worry about with Halladay, however, is his low strikeout total. His current strikeout rate is 16.8 percent, and he hasn't finished a season below 20 percent since 2007. 14 Last Week: 18 Colorado Rockies WAR Winning Percentage: .506; Current Winning Percentage: .444; WAR Wins: 14; Current Wins: 12 The Rockies are third in the NL in runs scored but last in the NL in runs allowed. The lineup is deep and powerful, but the rotation has serious trouble pitching deep into games. Colorado's starters have thrown the least amount of innings in the NL, which has forced its relievers to pitch the most innings of any bullpen in the league. Hitting that well and pitching that poorly will leave you in the middle of the pack, which is pretty much where the Rockies sit. 15 Last Week: 9 Kansas City Royals WAR Winning Percentage: .498; Current Winning Percentage: .333; WAR Wins: 13; Current Wins: 9 The Royals have essentially been O.K. in every facet of the game, while not being great or terrible in any along the way. Their wRC+ is 3 percent above average while their pitching is 2 percent worse than average according to FIP. Those factors show the Royals' record does not accurately portray their performance to date, and after sitting at seventh in these rankings two weeks ago, their winning percentage and WAR winning percentage are getting closer together. 16 Last Week: 16 Milwaukee Brewers WAR Winning Percentage: .479; Current Winning Percentage: .429; WAR Wins: 13; Current Wins: 12 Brewers catchers Jonathan Lucroy and George Kottaras are currently hitting .300/.398/.520 and have combined for the highest catcher WAR in the National League. Milwaukee has needed every bit of the hitting it has received from its catcher combo, as it has a 93 wRC+ after finishing 2011 with a 105 mark and 2010 with a 106. The Brewers have had trouble finding offensive production outside of Ryan Braun, Corey Hart and their catcher duo. Add in injuries to Carlos Gomez and Alex Gonzalez, who were hitting better than career levels, and things are looking down for Milwaukee's offense. 17 Last Week: 15 Boston Red Sox WAR Winning Percentage: .476; Current Winning Percentage: .407; WAR Wins: 13; Current Wins: 11 The bad news for the Red Sox' starters is that their ERA is 5.88. The good news is that their FIP is nearly a run lower at 4.95, signaling that they should get better results going forward. Currently, the lowest ERA of any of their five starters to make more than one start is Josh Beckett's 4.45, which is surprising considering the talent of the Red Sox rotation. Clay Buchholz has been particularly worrisome in his six starts, as he has a strikeout-to-walk ratio of just 1.05 and has already allowed 10 home runs. 18 Last Week: 21 Los Angeles Angels WAR Winning Percentage: .472; Current Winning Percentage: .414; WAR Wins: 14; Current Wins: 12 Albert Pujols finally hit a home run on Sunday, ending the longest drought of his career. The Angels are already 6 1/2 games behind the Rangers in the AL West and are currently last in the division, but Pujols hitting like Pujols could change that pretty rapidly. If he hits for his career averages for the rest of the year, he will end with a .299 batting average and 30 home runs. 19 Last Week: 23 Miami Marlins WAR Winning Percentage: .469; Current Winning Percentage: .500; WAR Wins: 13; Current Wins: 14 Gaby Sanchez, Jose Reyes, Logan Morrison, Heath Bell and John Buck have all been worth negative WAR, which cannot happen if the Marlins want to compete in the NL East this season. Bell has been particularly worrisome and was demoted from the closer's role. He is currently walking over 10 batters per nine and has had serious trouble locating any of his pitches. This is just the first year of his three-year contract, which makes his struggles even more troubling for the Marlins. 20 Last Week: 26 Chicago Cubs WAR Winning Percentage: .465; Current Winning Percentage: .393; WAR Wins: 13; Current Wins: 11 Bryan LaHair is the only Cub to have more than two home runs, and as a team the Cubs have just 15, second worst in the majors. The lack of pop in the Cubs' bats coincides with a lack of on-base potential,a s they have just a .304 team OBP. Their poor offense has mitigated their great starting pitching, currently ranked sixth by WAR and backed by three sub-3.00 FIPs in Jeff Samardzija, Ryan Dempster and Matt Garza. As good as the Cub starters have been, their bullpen has been equally bad, as they currently have no stand out relievers and closer Carlos Marmol was demoted. 21 Last Week: 13 New York Mets WAR Winning Percentage: .447; Current Winning Percentage: .536; WAR Wins: 13; Current Wins: 15 I bet Mets starting pitchers are upset about the fences being moved in right now. They have allowed the second-most home runs in the NL, 12 of which have come in Citi Field. Johan Santana, who seems to be back on track, has allowed just one but the rest of the rotation has had home run issues. Aside from Santana, the lowest home run per fly ball of any rotation member is Jonathon Niese's 15.4 percent. For reference, the NL average is 9.9 percent. 22 Last Week: 20 Cincinnati Reds WAR Winning Percentage: .443; Current Winning Percentage: .519; WAR Wins: 12; Current Wins: 14 Reds starters have the second-biggest difference between their ERA and FIP, so don't expect their starter's ERA to remain at 3.64 when their FIP is 4.13. Johnny Cueto has a sparkling 1.31 ERA, but he is striking out fewer than six batters per nine innings and has had a left-on-base percentage of 90.3 percent. Homer Bailey is in a similar situation but is likely headed for even worse results, as his 3.77 ERA is backed by an FIP over 5.00. The starters have received favorable results overall, but that is not expected to continue over the entirety of the season. 23 Last Week: 19 Cleveland Indians WAR Winning Percentage: .438; Current Winning Percentage: .577; WAR Wins: 11; Current Wins: 15 The Indians' offense has the best walk-to-strikeout ratio in the league. Unfortunately for Cleveland, its pitching staff has the worst strikeout-to-walk ratio in the league. The Indians are producing offensively for exactly the same reason as their pitching is struggling: they walk often and strikeout seldom. The Indians have a contact-heavy staff, but Derek Lowe has the team's best ERA by a starter, and he has struck out fewer than three batters per nine innings. Spring is time for healing By Gene Wojciechowski | ESPN.com
A secret affair. Hidden payoffs. A bungled cover-up. The John Edwards trial? Not exactly. More like the worst week in the life of Arkansas football this spring. In fact, I can't remember an early college offseason that was less about football and more about a martini mix of scandal, NCAA penalties, legend replacement and the BCS pregnancy test results (It's a playoff!). Start with the sad, sordid stuff: Out at Arkansas -- Bobby Petrino, sweetheart employment deals for the woman with whom he was having an affair, the woman herself, The Petrino Motorcycle Driving School. In at Arkansas -- John L. Smith, transparency, national championship aspirations/expectations. The Razorbacks were the biggest losers of the spring, but it could have been worse. Just think if Petrino had waited to crash his Harley -- with 25-year-old Jessica Dorrell on the back of it -- this coming fall instead of this past April 1? How do you think it would have gone against defending national champion Alabama on Sept. 15? At least this way, Smith and the remaining coaching staff have about 4½ months to prepare for the big game against the Crimson Tide in Fayetteville. Wait -- what a coincidence! Four-and-a-half months is how long Smith stayed at Weber State before ditching Ogden for his one-season, big-money gig at Arkansas. So it's a win-win for everybody, not counting Weber State. Anyway, when you think 2012 spring football, you think, healing process. It's happening in Hogdom. It's happening in Columbus, Ohio. It's happening in State College, Pa. Smith will be fine at Arkansas. I hate that he stuck it to his alma mater and those Weber State players and recruits, but he gives Arkansas what it needs right now: a veteran coach familiar with the Razorbacks. Plus, he can schmooze with the best of them. Bill O'Brien isn't a schmoozer, but he's trying to scrape off about 10,000 layers of Joe Paterno wallpaper at Penn State. The late, great Paterno was the winningest coach in major college football history, but his program wasn't exactly open to the public. Now comes O'Brien, the former New England Patriots offensive coordinator who wasn't part of the Penn State football mafia. He doesn't know the secret Nittany Lion handshake. He didn't learn the game at the cuffs of Joe Pa's khaki pants. And that's OK. A Paterno clone or son of the program wasn't necessary at Penn State. It needed someone willing to pull open the curtains to the place, acknowledge the program's past, but most of all, emphasize the program's future. O'Brien, who is finishing up a nine-day, seven-state, 18-stop bus tour, isn't simply a breath of fresh air; he's an entire oxygen tank of open mindedness. But he's also under all sorts of pressure. During the caravan's stop in suburban Philadelphia, the New York Daily News reported that the first question asked during a Q&A session with Penn State fans was, "How many games do you predict you'll win your first year?" Urban Meyer can relate. He comes to Ohio State after some down time with ESPN. Before that he was at Florida, where he won two national championships. Meyer officially replaces interim coach Luke Fickell, who remains on the staff as defensive coordinator. But in reality, Meyer will be measured against Jim Tressel, whose Tattoogate-related cover-up now seems sweetly quaint compared to the Petrino scandal. Meyer used spring practice to install his spread offense, mess around with a no-huddle system and convince Buckeyes fans that the program will survive NCAA probation and a 2012 bowl ban. And by the way, it will. With ease. The truth is, Meyer is playing with house money this season. He'll tell you the clock started this spring on his rebuilding project, but the hard deadline really isn't until 2013. By then, the Buckeyes will be back -- that is, if they can keep convicted sex offenders from scaring away their blue-chip recruits. (Seriously, you can't make this stuff up.) And while we're on the subject of rehabs and rebuilding, it was interesting to see how Kansas' Charlie Weis, Arizona's Rich Rodriguez and Washington State's Mike Leach went demo on their new fix-me-uppers. They ordered new everything: offenses, attitudes, culture, etc.. It's going to take some time at KU and Wazzu, but Rich Rod might turn it around faster in Tucson. Then again, Rodriguez is trying to rehab his own coaching image after the three-season flameout at Michigan. So this was a spring for first, second and third chances. First chances for the likes of O'Brien and Illinois' Tim Beckman (who came to U of I from Toledo) to run big-boy programs. Second chances for the likes of Weis, whose tenure at Notre Dame was marked by success, egotism, dysfunction and ultimately, mediocrity. Third chances for the likes of Terry Bowden, who once oversaw an undefeated Auburn program, spent the last three seasons at Divison II North Alabama and now returns to the FBS via Akron. And the new-look Big East is also experiencing change at the top, with commissioner John Marinatto announcing his resignation Monday. Best of all, it's been nice to see the BCS folks putting in some serious conference room time. If ever something needed to become good friends with a wad of C-4 explosive, it's the BCS. The BCS has served its purpose. It is better than the previous screwed-up "system," but it still has too many uncorrectable flaws. The BCS is a beautifully tailored tuxedo -- except that the zipper doesn't work. And never will. Soon we'll have a playoff plan in place for the next BCS cycle. And later this summer, when practice begins for those late-August openers (Bowden's Akron team plays on the first day of the season), we'll talk about actual football, not Petrino's 4,300-plus text messages to Dorrell. Goodbye, spring drama. And good riddance. Two Hall of Fame inductees target Tiger ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Celebrated for their biting humor, Hall of Fame inductees Peter Alliss and Dan Jenkins aimed their gifts at Tiger Woods at the end of their news conferences before the induction ceremony Monday at the St. Johns County Convention Center. Jenkins wondered aloud about Woods’ heart. Alliss wondered about his brain, and other parts of his body. They didn’t spare their acerbic wit doing so. Allis said he was perplexed by Woods making his third swing change as a pro. “I do not understand the thinking of Tiger Woods,” Alliss said. “I think his golfing brain, for some reason or other, is completely addled. “Perhaps the good part of his brain for a period drained from here, down to here,” Alliss said, motioning from his head to his groin. “And that caused him great distress, probably a modicum of enjoyment at the time. But he’s gone.” Alliss didn’t spare the competition Woods faced winning 14 majors. “He was Gulliver in the land of Lilliputians,” Alliss said. Alliss, the popular English BBC commentator who played in eight Ryder Cups, is the son of an accomplished player and teacher. “I’m not saying I’m a great teaching guru, but I’d love to have about a half an hour [with Woods]. If he couldn’t be put right in an hour, I’d go home and stick my head in a bucket of ice water, because it’s so simple. You stand and you swing.” Allis said he was standing with Arnold Palmer at Augusta National’s practice range last year when he was astounded by what he saw Woods working on. “There, 50 yards away,” Allis said, “is Tiger Woods being shown how to chip. `You must do it this way, this way.’ And I said to Arnold, are we seeing, are we going [crazy]? He was the greatest chipper in the world for a period, and this guy is teaching, `No, don’t do it that way.’ “It’s like Pavarotti saying `I’m fed up being a tenor; I think I’m going to sing as a baritone.’ Land sake. That’s as stupid as that in my opinion.” Jenkins, the long-time Sports Illustrated and then Golf Digest writer, said he believed it would be a great story if Woods won another major, his 15th. “Because he’ll be the first guy that ever did it with three swings,” Jenkins said. Asked if he believed Woods will win another five majors and pass Nicklaus’ record, Jenkins didn’t hesitate. “No,” he said. “Next question.” Asked to compare the nature of champions from different eras, Jenkins said: “I believe the athletic heart can transfer eras, it can move from one decade to the other. Lee Trevino said this better than anybody: `You never know what’s in a guy’s heart.’ How big a winner is he going to be? I don’t know, because I don’t know what’s in his heart. “If you’re a competitor, if you’re a great athlete, you can move from one era to another because you’re still people. “The thing I always thought, and I don’t know if it’s true or not, but everybody wants to win and everyone says they want to win, but the great champions absolutely despised the idea of losing. I think that’s what Ben Hogan had, what Arnold [Palmer] had, Jack [Nicklaus] certainly had it. I frankly don’t know whether Tiger Woods has it or not because he has never had to come from behind. Every major he won he was in front and everyone, most of them, dropped dead.” ..

Monday, May 7, 2012

2013 NFL Mock Draft - OSU Football Recruit's Dad Changes Tune - MLB Standings as of May 7th, 2012

MLB Standings as of May 7th, 2012 American League East W L Pct GB Home Road Last 10 Streak Baltimore Orioles 19 9 .679 -- 8-4 11-5 8-2 Won 5 Tampa Bay Rays 19 10 .655 0.5 13-3 6-7 7-3 Lost 2 Toronto Blue Jays 16 13 .552 3.5 8-7 8-6 6-4 Lost 2 New York Yankees 15 13 .536 4 7-6 8-7 5-5 Won 1 Boston Red Sox 11 16 .407 7.5 4-10 7-6 4-6 Lost 5 Central W L Pct GB Home Road Last 10 Streak Cleveland Indians 15 11 .577 -- 6-8 9-3 6-4 Won 1 Detroit Tigers 14 13 .519 1.5 9-9 5-4 4-6 Won 1 Chicago White Sox 13 15 .464 3 5-9 8-6 3-7 Lost 1 Kansas City Royals 9 18 .333 6.5 2-12 7-6 6-4 Lost 1 Minnesota Twins 7 20 .259 8.5 3-8 4-12 2-8 Lost 2 West W L Pct GB Home Road Last 10 Streak Texas Rangers 18 10 .643 -- 8-5 10-5 4-6 Lost 1 Oakland Athletics 15 14 .517 3.5 6-7 9-7 6-4 Won 2 Seattle Mariners 13 17 .433 6 5-7 8-10 3-7 Won 2 Los Angeles Angels 12 17 .414 6.5 9-8 3-9 6-4 Won 2 National League East W L Pct GB Home Road Last 10 Streak Washington Nationals 18 10 .643 -- 12-4 6-6 4-6 Lost 1 Atlanta Braves 18 11 .621 0.5 8-5 10-6 6-4 Won 3 New York Mets 15 13 .536 3 10-6 5-7 5-5 Won 2 Miami Marlins 14 14 .500 4 6-5 8-9 7-3 Won 6 Philadelphia Phillies 14 15 .483 4.5 5-5 9-10 5-5 Won 1 Central W L Pct GB Home Road Last 10 Streak St. Louis Cardinals 17 11 .607 -- 8-4 9-7 6-4 Won 1 Cincinnati Reds 14 13 .519 2.5 8-6 6-7 6-4 Won 1 Houston Astros 13 15 .464 4 9-6 4-9 7-3 Lost 1 Milwaukee Brewers 12 16 .429 5 6-6 6-10 3-7 Lost 2 Pittsburgh Pirates 12 16 .429 5 6-6 6-10 4-6 Lost 1 Chicago Cubs 11 17 .393 6 7-9 4-8 5-5 Won 1 West W L Pct GB Home Road Last 10 Streak Los Angeles Dodgers 18 10 .643 -- 10-2 8-8 5-5 Lost 1 San Francisco Giants 14 14 .500 4 8-7 6-7 5-5 Won 2 Arizona Diamondbacks 14 15 .483 4.5 6-7 8-8 5-5 Lost 2 Colorado Rockies 12 15 .444 5.5 8-10 4-5 3-7 Lost 3 San Diego Padres 9 20 .310 9.5 7-13 2-7 4-6 Lost 3 Dr. Anzalone Clarifies Earlier Comments about Ohio State By Brandon Castel Sal Anzalone doesn’t hate Ohio State, and he wants the world to know it. He also doesn’t blame the University for the incident involving his son, Alex, during an unofficial visit to Columbus last month. “We can't implicate Ohio State for what happened,” Sal Anzalone the Reading Eagle, the hometown newspaper in eastern Pennsylvania where Alex is a star high school football player for Wyomissing. “That's wrong. That had nothing to do with the University itself. I don't hold them accountable; they're not responsible for what fans do; it's not their fault.” Fresh off the revelation his son—a 4-star linebacker prospect in the class of 2013—had spent time with a convicted sex offender during that visit to Ohio State in April, Dr. Anzalone publically criticized the University following his son’s de-commitment. “There's a disconnect between what Alex thought was there (at Ohio State) and what is actually there,” the outraged father told the Reading Eagle on Friday. “Something's just not right at Ohio State. It's not for him.” On Sunday, Dr. Anzalone clarified those original comments as an outward expression of the internal frustration and fury that followed when a photograph surfaced picturing with his son and two fellow recruits with Charles Eric Waugh, a registered sex offender in the state of Kentucky. “I want people to understand, I have no beef with Ohio State, at all,” Sal Anzalone said. “My issue is not with Ohio State: It's a great institution, they have a phenomenal president, Urban Meyer is nothing but a class act to me.” Dr. Anzalone said he received a phone call from Meyer Friday afternoon. His original comments in the Reading Eagle made it sound as though he was blaming Ohio State, and Coach Meyer, for allowing someone like Waugh to get near high school recruits during their college visits. No one knew Waugh was a sex offender when he was contacting Alex Anzalone and other potential OSU recruits on Twitter. Waugh has also been in contact with current Ohio State players over social networking Websites like Twitter and Facebook. One former Buckeye football player told the-Ozone.net that Waugh regularly attempted to contact him, and other Ohio State players, via Facebook chat. The players ignored Waugh’s attempts to communicate with them, but said he also approached them in public on more than one occasion. Ohio State has since warned student athletes to avoid Waugh, both in public places and on the internet. The warning came a little too late, however, as he had already led to the de-commitment of Anzalone, one of the top linebacker prospects in the country. Dr. Anzalone initially told people to cross Ohio State off the list of schools his son was going to consider moving forward, but that may have been another moment where the frustration got the best of him. “There's nothing wrong with Ohio State; it's a great institution,” Dr. Anzalone told the Reading Eagle. “When I said there was something wrong with Ohio State, I was talking about the visit - there was something wrong with the visit, not with Ohio State.” Alex Anzalone plans to slow down his recruiting process after the craziness of the last few weeks. He reportedly visited Florida last week, and already holds scholarship offers from the majority of major college football programs in the country. That includes Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Louisville, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Stanford and USC, along with both home state schools—Penn State and Pittsburgh. He may even consider the Buckeyes again at a future point in time. National Signing Day for the 2013 class is still nine months away. “There's no reason we wouldn't consider the Buckeyes,” Dr. Anzalone said. “We love Ohio State. The academic opportunities there are tremendous.”
2013 NFL Mock Draft sportsline.com Mock Draft Round 1 Rob Rang Dane Brugler 1 Matt Barkley, QB Southern California Matt Barkley, QB Southern California 2 E.J. Manuel, QB Florida State Tyler Wilson, QB Arkansas 3 Robert Woods, WR Southern California Johnathon Hankins, DT Ohio State 4 Star Lotulelei, DT Utah Robert Woods, WR Southern California 5 Johnathon Hankins, DT Ohio State Barkevious Mingo, OLB LSU 6 Chris Faulk, OT LSU Justin Hunter, WR Tennessee 7 David Amerson, CB North Carolina State David Amerson, CB North Carolina State 8 Sam Montgomery, DE LSU Jarvis Jones, OLB Georgia 9 Luke Joeckel, OT Texas A&M Star Lotulelei, DT Utah 10 Eric Reid, FS LSU Eric Reid, FS LSU 11 Jarvis Jones, OLB Georgia Keenan Allen, WR California 12 Keenan Allen, WR California Barrett Jones, OG Alabama 13 Jackson Jeffcoat, DE Texas Sam Montgomery, DE LSU 14 Barkevious Mingo, OLB LSU Jackson Jeffcoat, DE Texas 15 T.J. McDonald, FS Southern California Alex Okafor, DE Texas 16 Marcus Lattimore, RB South Carolina Marcus Lattimore, RB South Carolina 17 Logan Thomas, QB Virginia Tech Tyler Bray, QB Tennessee 18 Johnthan Banks, CB Mississippi State Bjoern Werner, DE Florida State 19 Ricky Wagner, OT Wisconsin Manti Te'o, ILB Notre Dame 20 William Gholston, DE Michigan State Tyrann Mathieu, CB LSU 21 D.J. Fluker, OT Alabama Chris Faulk, OT LSU 22 Jake Matthews, OT Texas A&M Corey Lemonier, DE Auburn 23 Manti Te'o, ILB Notre Dame Johnthan Banks, CB Mississippi State 24 Montee Ball, RB Wisconsin Sean Porter, OLB Texas A&M 25 Kawann Short, DT Purdue William Gholston, DE Michigan State 26 Tyler Wilson, QB Arkansas Chance Warmack, OG Alabama 27 Alex Okafor, DE Texas Brandon Jenkins, OLB Florida State 28 Xavier Rhodes, CB Florida State T.J. McDonald, FS Southern California 29 Shayne Skov, ILB Stanford Ricky Wagner, OT Wisconsin 30 Jonathan Cooper, OG North Carolina Craig Roh, DE Michigan 31 Barrett Jones, OG Alabama Kawann Short, DT Purdue 32 Tyler Eifert, TE Notre Dame Tyler Eifert, TE Notre Dame